Woodford Reserve

Woodford Reserve Rye Whiskey Review

Woodford Reserve Rye

Woodford Reserve is now in the rye whiskey game.  There was an indicator a couple of years back when they released rye whiskey as part of their annual Master’s Collection.  The reviews I read about it were mixed, but the excitement mostly came from the anticipation of a rye whiskey from Woodford Reserve.  The bottle is the same as Woodford Reserve bourbon.  The only difference is the green label at the bottom.  As with its bourbon brethren, this rye whiskey also has a batch and bottle number.

Woodford Reserve’s PR firm sent me a small review sample.  The rye spice in this whiskey is nice.  It comes across on the nose, and it should: Woodford Reserve Rye contains 53% rye in its mash bill.  I also get some clove, vanilla, black pepper and light brown sugar.  The rye also comes across on the palate along with caramel and honey.  It has a long sweet honeyed finish.  Bottled at 90.4 proof was the right call.  It’s a nice sweet spot – not too thin and watery but not too hot.  Very balanced.

Priced at $38, slightly higher than their bourbon, Woodford Reserve Rye Whiskey is a delicious sipper.  As of the writing of this post, Woodford Reserve Rye Whiskey is only available in several markets in the United States, but I expect it to spread to the rest of the country soon.  Recommended.

8.5/10

Last Minute Holiday Gifts 2014

The holidays are right around the corner, and if you still have gifts to buy, here’s a handy little guide.  I’ve listed some of my favorite bourbons of the past year.  I’ve posted about some of these here on AdventuresInWhiskey.com.  What you won’t find on this list are super-rare, ultra-premium releases.  The bourbons listed here are widely available, for the most part, in most higher-end liquor stores.  Each entry in the list contains two bourbons of different price points from the same family.  Want to buy something other than whiskey?  I’ve got some non-whiskey holiday items that I’ve enjoyed throughout the year.

Whiskies, in no particular order:

1.  Bulleit 10 year old bourbon ($45) is a slightly more mature version of Bulleit.  The extra time in the barrel helps bring out more of the vanilla and oak notes.  If you’re looking for something cheaper along those lines, you can’t go wrong with Bulleit bourbon ($30).  It’s great neat and makes for a old fashioned.

2. Elijah Craig Barrel Proof ($50) is a monster of a bourbon.  Not for the faint at heart.  It’s barrel proof, so that means no added water.  In this case, that equates to a delicious full flavored bourbon.  Elijah Craig 12 ($27) is a nice substitute for the budget-minded.  Its the one I generally refer people to when asked which bourbon to buy.

3.  George Dickel 9 year old ($40) is a single barrel offering of George Dickel Tennessee Whisky.  You’ll have to check with your local store to see if they carry it.  Full of caramel, vanilla and oak.  My bottle has become one of my favorites.  George Dickel No. 12 ($25) is one of the better whisky values on the shelf.

4. Woodford Reserve Double Oaked ($50) offers more of that great oak flavor in your bourbon while still staying young and vibrant.  Woodford Reserve ($32) is no slouch and comes recommended as a nice everyday whiskey.  This is the first premium bourbon I fell in love with.

5.  Four Roses Single Barrel ($35/$50) comes in two slightly different versions.  There’s the standard single barrel bottled at 100 proof, and the more expensive private selection bottled at barrel strength.  Really, you can’t go wrong with either one.  Four Roses Yellow Label ($20) is a budget-priced, lighter style bourbon that’s great as a daily sipper.

 

Non-whiskey items:

1.  Noble jeans from Noble Denim.  Everything from these guys is handmade.  I can attest to the quality and fit of their raw denim jeans (I received a pair of their small batch barrel-aged jeans.  While not completely broken in, they fit like a glove).

2. Books.  Nothing like reading a whiskey book while drinking a little whiskey.  “American Whiskey, Bourbon & Rye:  A Guide to the Nation’s Favorite Spirit” by Clay Risen profiles more than 200 American whiskies.  Another one aimed at the whiskey novice is “Whiskey Distilled:  A Populist Guide to the Water of Life” by Heather Greene.  This one is full of stories and is a nice guide through the world of whiskey.

3.  Ice Spheres mold.  The larger surface area on these ice spheres melt slower,  diluting your whiskey less.  Plus they look great in your glass.

Woodford Reserve Master’s Collection Sonoma-Cutrer Finish Review

For the past several years, Chris Morris, the Master Distiller at Woodford Reserve, has been tinkering with his bourbon.  He plays around with the different aspects of making whiskey, be it the mashbill, distillation process, aging or the finish.  These experiments are released each fall as a small batch whiskey under Woodford Reserve’s “Master’s Collection” umbrella.

Woodford_Reserve_Pinot_Noir_Sonoma_Cutrer_Finish_Masters_collection

This year’s release sees Mr. Morris playing around with the finish again.  He finished fully-matured Woodford Reserve Bourbon in barrels that previously held Sonoma-Cutrer Pinot Noir.  Back in 2007 he did something simliar – finishing Woodford Reserve in Sonoma-Cutrer Chardonnay barrels.  From what I remember reading years ago, that release got mixed to good reviews.   How does this year’s release taste?  Woodford Reserve provided a tasting sample.

So… how does it taste?  In a word:  interesting.  It’s got a deeper color than standard Woodford Reserve.  On the nose, this whiskey is a bit oakier than I was expecting.  Past that, I can make out separate typical bourbon aromas and pinot noir aromas.  Taste-wise, just like in the aroma, there is a lot of oak.  More so than you’d think for a bourbon less than 10 years old.  I really wanted a “big fruit” bourbon with a prominent dark cherry flavor.  What I got didn’t quite meet my high expectations.  The fruit definitely comes out, but it seems to be competing with the traditional bourbon flavors of caramel, vanilla and spice.  There’s obviously more flavor and boldness here versus traditional Woodford Reserve.  What I like about this is that, given the pinot noir influence, it isn’t too sweet.  The finish, however, is sweet, dry, and moderate in length.

I’ve only tasted one other “Master’s Collection” release – their Seasoned Oak Finish from 2009 (which I just picked up last month on my honeymoon.)  That particular bourbon was outstanding.  This one I’ll leave at “interesting.”  At a MSRP of $99.99, I’d suggest you try it before you buy it… although I have a feeling most of you will really like what you taste.

7/10